Get More Out of Kickstarter With the New Patrons Program

Kickstarter announced its new Patrons program, which puts filmmakers in touch with institutional dollars and additional production resources.

For Kickstarter, the crowdfunding giant started in 2009, film has always been a leading category (to date, 66,143 Film & Videoprojects have launched, with $338.18 million successful dollars pledged). That trend looks to continue with the announcement of Kickstarter Patrons, a pilot program whose aim is to build "a bridge between institutions that champion creative projects, and the creators bringing those projects to life." Patrons will work with Kickstarter to find "projects that align with their mission," then pledge money to those project's campaigns (along with additional production resources, for successful campaigns). Below are the details on American Documentary (AmDoc) and Pinewood Atlanta, the first two Patrons to be announced.

Knight AmDoc Patron Fund

The Knight AmDoc Patron Fund on Kickstarter seeks to pledge to documentary and nonfiction films as well as transmedia projects in any stage of development, though the project must be based in one of the 26 Knight Communities around the U.S. On top of financial support, AmDoc is also offering additional outreach resources through its web and media channels, which reach over 100,000 followers, as well as outreach to select projects with successful campaigns in the form of mentorship and feedback. AmDoc is launching on Kickstarter with $100,000 in funding dollars. American Documentary (AmDoc), a nonprofit funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, supports "bold documentaries and documentarians for the public good," and is probably best known for the POVseries of documentaries on PBS.

'All the Difference', a documentary supported by American Documentary and presented on 'POV' on PBS.

Pinewood Atlanta Studios Patron Fund

Pinewood Atlanta Studios is looking to pledge to films whose teams contain at least one female filmmaker who currently resides in the state of Georgia. The studio is looking for films "with originality of premise, clarity of narrative, and personal vision," and in addition to cash support, will be offering mentorship and networking opportunities, as well as access to the "Pinewood Atlanta Studios ecosystem of vendors." The studio is launching with $10,000 in funding dollars. Pinewood Atlanta is the U.S. branch of the renowned 80-year-old UK-based film studios, Pinewood, Shepperton and Pinewood Studio Wales, where countless classic films have been made. Pinewood has been expanding worldwide in recent years, opening studios in the U.S., Canada, Malaysia, and the Dominican Republic.

According to Kickstarter's announcement, "While the [Patron] program is simple, the opportunity to help independent creators hit their funding goals while building relationships with major institutions that can continue to follow and support their career is profound." Kickstarter is currently soliciting the participation of organizations interested in the program, so be sure to check for updates as new Patrons join up with what has the potential to be a revolutionary development in crowdfunding and financing for indie film.

Your Comment

1 Comment

Get your FREE copy of the eBook called "astonishingly detailed and useful" by Filmmaker Magazine!
It's 100+ pages on what you need to know to make beautiful, inexpensive movies using a DSLR. Subscribe to receive the free PDF!